Monday, November 22, 2010

Oprah Radio's Derrick Ashong LIVE on TMW Radio today 6:30p EST!

Click below to listen:
The Derrick Ashong Experience



Good morning big beautiful bright world!
I am excited, nervous, ready, frustrated...
A woman's Monday! :D

I am getting ready for my interview with Oprah Radio's Derrick Ashong today on The Movement Within Radio at 6:30p EST on blogtalkradio.com.

I have 20 minutes to speak with him and I want to use that 20 minutes to bring to you, the listener, the most that I can. He is an amazing man and I am so blessed to be able to have this opportunity. It is not for me. It is for you. So, questions are spinning around in my mind. What? Who? Why? Where? But most importantly, I want to know what inspires an individual to make such a Movement Within the world- in honor and promotion of humanity? To Move so wonderfully throughout the world to promote things that matter?
Derrick's comment about his radio show is, "This is radio with a conscience." I love that. His energy. His work. His mission has a conscience. He is making a difference by discussing things that matter. This is important. All too often, we forget and neglect each other. We each matter.
Today, I want to discuss with Derrick why his Movement. Why? Why is it important to bring light to things that we often don't discuss or we are afraid of discussing. Why is he pulled to make a difference as a song for all people?
I, personally, like to break through barriers. I feel some barriers are meant to be broken through. I enjoy encouraging others to think for themselves. There are many who think for others or who do not feel adequate enough to think for themselves. This is not accurate.
We are each given beautiful amazing gifts and abilities that help us plug into each other. Today, I want to discuss with Derrick why he feels pulled to encourage the world to think for themselves.
Derrick is a Mover. He is a maker. He is a wonderful energy that has been planted within humanity to get and keep us Moving. Let The Movement Begin and let it begin with him! This is where we are making a difference individually together.

Today 6:30p EST: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/themovementwithin/2010/11/22/the-movement-within-radio

Derrick N. Ashong - or DNA as he is sometimes known - is literally the voice of a new generation. Whether heard in the eloquent expression of his thoughts on Senator Barack Obama (as seen in one of the most viewed videos of 2008 on YouTube), in his music (as leader of the emerging band Soulfège), in his lyrics (he won Billboard Magazine's 2007 World Song Writing Competition) or in his acting ability, the Harvard educated talent has found myriad ways to inspire, engage and activate young people with positive messages for social change. DNA is the host of “The Derrick Ashong Experience”, on SIRIUS XM's Oprah Radio. The show airs Saturdays from 12:00-3:00 pm ET on Oprah Radio, XM Channel 156 and SIRIUS Channel 195 and is streamed live on www.OprahRadio.com . Dubbed a “YouTube phenom” by the New York Times, the Ghana, West Africa native has dedicated his life to building bridges between the fields of business, media, technology, youth culture, pop culture and politics. Ashong has lectured on five continents on the use of media as a tool for human development, including recent talks at the London School of Economics, King's College (Cambridge), the Reconciliation Forum in Washington, D.C., the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations and before UK Parliament on the subject of "The Obama Generation." He is a member of the internationally recognized Next Generation Leadership Forum and a participant in the Arts & Entertainment task force of the U.S.-Islamic World Forum. He is also the founder of Take Back the Mic, a youth-centered cultural movement that encourages young people to take leadership in four key areas of life: art, society, business and politics. DNA is also on the Board of Directors for Children Mending Hearts, an organization dedicated to the global arts exchange between at-risk children in the United States and children living in conflict zones around the world. TMW welcomes Derrick to The Movement Within Radio! THIS is time.

The Movement Within Community Forum

The Movement Within Community Forum

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Friday, November 19, 2010

Lessons We Learn From Geese


Lessons We Learn From Geese

Author Unknown, found on the
internet by April Claxton, 
CEO of The Movement Within

Fact 1: As each goose flaps its wings it creates an "uplift" for the
birds that follow. By flying in a "V" formation, the whole
flock adds 71% greater flying range than if each bird flew alone.
Lesson: People who share a common direction and sense of community
can get where they are going quicker and easier because they
are traveling on the thrust of one another.
Fact 2: When a goose falls out of formation, it suddenly feels the
drag and resistance of flying alone. It quickly moves back into
formation to take advantage of the lifting power of the bird
immediately in front of it.
Lesson: If we have as much sense as a goose, we stay in formation
with those headed where we want to go. We are willing
to accept their help and give our help to others.
Fact 3: When the lead goose tires, it rotates back into the formation
and another goose flies to the point position.
Lesson: It pays to take turns doing the hard tasks and sharing leadership.
As with geese, people are interdependent on each other's skills,
capabilities and unique arrangements of gifts, talents or
resources.
Fact 4: The geese flying in formation honk to encourage those up
front to keep up their speed.
Lesson: We need to make sure honking is encouraging. In groups
where there is encouragement the production is much
greater. The power of encouragement (to stand by one's
heart or core values and encourage the heart and core of others)
is the quality of honking we seek.
Fact 5: When a goose gets sick, wounded, or shot down, two geese
drop out of formation and follow it down to help and protect it.
They stay with it until it dies or is able to fly again. Then,
they launch out with another formation or catch up with the flock.
Lesson: If we have as much sense as geese, we will stand by each other
in difficult times as well as when we are strong.



"Because My Dreams are Bursting at the Seams..."


"We are our dreams. Our dreams bring us to who we are." -ac


It has been quite a while since my last blog. This happens when one continues to Move within themselves. In life, there are moments of pausing and moments of constant movement. But why? What is going on? Why the pause, now? I asked these very questions as I sat at my desk the last few days- or on days when I ran from my desk completely.

This morning I dropped my little one off at school. She made the principals honor roll and was dressed up for a ceremony and I watched her walk into school. It was as if everything was in slow motion. I couldn't believe that she was "my" kid. I sat watching her walk in and even took a quick picture. She is absolutely beautiful, wonderful, smart- so opposite of how I felt at her age. I struggled with grades a lot growing up. I struggled with self esteem issues and I can remember feeling as if I never quite fit in or I never deserved good things. They just weren't for me.

As an adult and while working through my own Movement, I have realized how very wrong I was. But I had to learn my self worth. Learning this took longer than I would have preferred but every part of the journey now makes sense looking back.  

I left her school this morning, got my daily cup of coffee and proceeded to drive home. While driving, the song, "Fireflies" by Owl City came on. I smiled and bobbed my head listening to the words. As I came around a corner, the sun hit everything before me in such a way that everything was illuminated and outlined in bright golden light. A few wild parrots flew over my car and the air shifted. I felt God. In the most random of moments, God seems to peek and say hello. When the moment passed, the following line from the Fireflies song played. Adam Young sang, "because my dreams are bursting at the seams..."

I kept driving and those words struck me. That is exactly how I feel now. The past few weeks have been 'off.' I couldn't, for the life of me, understand why I felt so "blah." My zest and activity had slowed and I felt stuck. I began to gain momentum recently and realized that over the last few weeks the problem was not that I was stuck, but rather that I had lost sight of my dreams.

We often lose sight of how important our dreams are. The help us identify who we are and they align us with our purpose and happiness. When we lose sight of our dreams, we lose sight of who we are.

Needless to say, I am back in the saddle again! I have many BIG things coming up that are happening with The Movement Within for you, the Movers. Doreen Virtue from Hay House, Derrick Ashong from Oprah's Radio, Best selling author, Nancy Garden, Marla Schulman from Life After Kids, Life After All (http://lifeafterkids.tv/) are all upcoming guests The Movement Within Radio.

TMW will also be a proud sponsor for an amazing event in January at the Allow Your Spirit To Soar Conference (check out the website: http://www.allowyourspirittosoar.com/). We are also bringing on some new wonderfully talented and spirited people onto TMW website (http://www.themovementwithin.com/) and
my first e-book (8 Steps to Ignite The Movement Within You: Regaining Your Life, Your Power, Your Self!) will be available soon. Lot's is a happenin'!

But why? Why are all of these wonderful things taking place? Because they are a part of my dreams. My dream is to help humanity Move within themselves. Why? Because when we do and we get past that "pause" in our lives, we discover life. We discover self. We discover joy. When we are in joy (enjoy), we are helping to lift the world. That is why. To lift humanity, one heart at a time. And baby, my dreams are busting at the seams!

Happy beautiful Friday Movers! Thank you for being a part of my Movement and for allowing your Movement to take place. Happy beautiful YOU!

Love to you all. KEEP Moving!

- April
  

Tuesday, September 7, 2010

I BELIEVE!
















The Movement Within online!


And so the story goes... Hard work pays off! 
When you believe in yourself and your dreams, life can really surprise you. Or is it a surprise?

When we believe in something, we put energy into it. Energy becomes action. As actions take place, a result is sure to follow.

When you believe in yourself and your dreams, results will find you. Success will find you. Happiness and abundance will find you. You find yourself.

You've heard the saying, "Thoughts are energy." It is not only just a saying. It is the truth. You can't experience the truth, unless you believe in it. Your thoughts produce your actions. Your actions produce your results. Think about this. What are your thoughts right now? Overwhelmed? Upset? Happy? Stressed? Worried? Content? Ready? Frustrated? Joyful?
What are your current experiences? Do they follow your thoughts? It becomes a cycle. 

I am listening to the song, "I Got A Feeling" by The BlackEyed Peas and I can't help but feel excited! Tonight IS going to be a good night! Today IS going to be a good day! Why? Because we believe it will.

BELIEVE! BELIEVE! BELIEVE! What you believe in shows in your experiences and your life.

Life is about making mistakes, learning and realizing that we DO have options. We DO have possibilities. We DO have more than we often think we have. Believe in this. This will guide you. Mistakes happen. So do second chances.

Happy Tuesday Movers! I BELIEVE IN YOU!

Monday, August 30, 2010

No Matter What

Journal Entry: 8/30/10 1:11am

Tomorrow is my fathers 60th birthday. Birthdays are a time of celebration! There is a part of me that wants to buy a cake, a card and a special gift. There is a part of me that wants to take my thirty three year old self and climb into his lap and say, "Happy Birthday Daddy!" Many girls would do this. Many would never hesitate. I hesitate.

My father and I seemed to have grown apart over the years. He lives twenty minutes away and we see each other almost never. We talk almost never. We love almost never. How could this be? I could write a complete novel on the story of my life explaining how A lead to B and now we are at C. But the blog can only hold so much here and now.

I would like to tell him how much I do love him and how much I feel as if I am still a child. If I could go back to the age of five, I would have him again. I miss our walks. I miss our talks. I miss how he reached out to me. It seemed as if I were his perfect little being back then. Back then, I was.

Life happens. We grow. Our parents grow too. We realize that they are not always superhero beings that lasso the moon, stop the rain and make everything okay. They are human. They have lives. They live, breathe and feel. They also have pasts. They were once five with parents of their own.

My dad is a man. He has a heart and a life. In his own way, I know that I am still there within it.
I want him to know that he is still within mine too. I may not have the card, the cake or the gift. I might not be able to see him or crawl into his lap or even into his mind, but I am there. I am thinking of him... In more ways than he will ever know.

He is still my dad and he always will be. I am older now. I understand things more clearly. The past is the past. Time cannot always make it better, but it can allow room for understanding, growth and forgiveness. As humans, we have the capabilities to say and do things that hurt others. This includes hurting ourselves. Sometimes this is intentional. Other times it is out of self defense and unintentional. Words have power. They can heal. They can hurt. Sometimes there are just no words at all. There is only time. 

When we become adults, we have the responsibility to create boundaries that are healthy for us. From one grown up to another, we are to take responsibilities for our actions. Does this always happen? No. But we cannot take the responsibilities of another. As grown ups, we are only responsible to and for ourselves. Today, I take the responsibility to tell my dad I love him. I wish things were different but that would make us different. Today, I wish to tell him that I needed him. I mourn him. I ache for him, sometimes. But things are as they are and people are who they are.

Tomorrow my dad will be sixty years old. Thirty three years ago he did the best thing he could have done for me. He gave me life. For that, I will forever be grateful. He also taught me how to be compassionate in his own way. He showed me how to laugh, how to look at someone eye to eye and say, "I see one eye in a monster" and how NOT to dance. He showed me how to run from roaches and how to love the little things in life. I thank you dad for this.

As tomorrow nears, I know that he will be thinking about his day. I want him to know I am thinking of this too. I will call him. I will make small talk. But no matter what, I want him to know that I wish I could crawl through the phone and into his lap just to have him hold me once more. No matter how "grown up" I am, I will always be his little girl.  

Happy 60th birthday, dad. I love you. 

 

The One Place

"Forever have I searched, high and low, never finding what it is I have been looking for. And never knowing what it was I sought. I traveled every mile, read every book, watched every movie, flew every plane, sailed every boat, met every person. But never have I satisfied my quest. I climbed every mountain, joined every group, prayed every prayer, over turned every rock, dug every hole, swam every ocean. But still, no discovery. I slept. I fasted. I ate. I gave. I took. I planned. I bargained. I probed. I prodded. I continued. Nothing. Then one day my seeking changed. I threw away the maps. I tossed out the keys. I hung up the shoes and I sat. I listened to nothing but the sound of my beating heart. I realized at that moment that I had finally found what it was I was looking for! I found Me. I was here the whole while. I only had to search the one place that I never did: Within Me." - ac

Thursday, August 26, 2010

Energy. Allow It.

We look at things as either dead or alive. This is tangable. This is simple. However, energy is always alive. Energy can shift from form to form, but it cannot ever die. Everything around us is energy. From our bodies, our thoughts, our shoes to our homes, our relationships, our lives. This energy is either flowing or it is not. It is either functioning or it is stuck. 
Life is about moving energy. It is about understanding, using and letting go of energy. The things within your life that are stuck must simply have movement so that they can be released and flow again. Think about it. Allow movement.   

"It doesn't matter where everyone else is, ot only matters where you are. When you are madly in love with someone, do you know why that is? Because that person is a catalyst to help you align you with who you are. Those people who have been madly in love with you have been madly in love with their alignment and you've just been helpful. Don't make this too complicated. The worst thing in the world you can do is to pout and mimic your own sadness about having to leave: I am happy when we're togwether and when we're apart. When we are together, I can focus on things that make me happy and when we're not together, I can also focus on things that make me happy. You have total control of this. Expansion. All of your power is right here and now from where you are. There is nothing you are supposed to do, only what you want to do. You are looking for opportunities, not problems to solve. Once you bring your place into a place of hopelfulness, you are off and running! You can't get it wrong and you're not ever gonna get it done. Enjoy more. Play more. Live more." - Esther Hicks.  

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=asTG6MC2OSU&feature=related

Tuesday, August 24, 2010

Let Go

There is a stream of well being that carries us. Esther/ Abraham Hicks speaks of this in all of her speeches, books and events. It is a stream that is to lead us to where we are to be. It is the flow.

Resistance to this stream, this flow, creates blockages within life, within ourselves and others. We begin to struggle. When we struggle, we become exhausted. If you are in water and begin kicking and fighting and become exhausted, you drown. We begin to fight this current and the more we fight, the more removed we are from our natural state of being.

If we were to let go and let the stream take us, what would happen? Would and could it be that easy? Why would it not? As humans, we are taught to struggle; to work hard for what we want. But in life, not everything is truly difficult. Happiness and joy are as easy as letting go.

Control is a very simple yet powerful word. We attempt to manipulate and control others so that we receive the outcome that benefits us. Others do the same to us. But what would happen if we tried to control only ourselves and let life handle the flow around us? Fear settles in. We become afraid. We cannot "see" the outcome and the fear of the unknown challenges our comfort levels and our ability to breathe. We panic.

It sounds easy. It is easy. But yet, we hold on. The current becomes stronger and in the end, we let go. We float at such a speed to only realize we are floating. We have not gone under. It is quite the contrary. We are sailing. We are going with the flow and the flow is taking us to where we should be. This is not always where we want to be, but this way the outcome will always be in our favor.

Let go. Go with the flow. Put down the sword of indecision and allow this stream to comfort, lead and guide you. You will be glad you did.   

We Begin

"We are born into a stream that carries us. We arrive with others around us; life around us. Yet life does not begin outside of us. It begins within us.

Many times, we set off to find life. We plan trips, take leave, unplug and disconnect to find our selves. What we are doing is seeking this stream that is taking us to the point within ourselves where we recognize life.

To think that life will come to us is a mistake. It will push us and challenge us to go out and find it within our very being. When we find it, we hold on to it. We smile. We enjoy the joy. And we remember. It is the good that we are to repeat. It is the bad that encourages us to move on.

Life does not happen to us. It happens for us. It begins within us and we begin because of life." -ac 

Thursday, August 19, 2010

We Are All Connected

Today, I am not alone. There are others. People who feel, need, want, dream, believe, struggle, fight, wish, hope, pray, live, trust, try, smile, cry- there is WE.

People are not meant to be alone. When we hear the term "alone" many think first of having to "be with someone." But being alone simply means just that. Having to connect does not mean we must be within a relationship. It means we simply connect to one another. Relationships do not always have to be involved.

We are to connect by reaching out, but most importantly to allow others to reach into us. Life happens because humanity intertwines. It cannot continue to happen when we remove ourselves from within the flow of the world. Reach out. Let life reach in. Allow yourself to connect to others. Others are going through very similar things you are going through. All to often, we do not like admit to this. We feel the pressure of having to be "perfect," "normal."

In life, we are imperfectly perfect and that makes us normal. Love this. Love you. There are no standards as to who we have to be, only that which we want to be. See others as equal human beings as well. They hurt, love, need, give, feel, try and want also. We cannot judge a book by its cover. Some of the best stories I ever read were books that had no cover at all...

Happy beautiful Thursday Movers!!!!!

Get out there and live!

xoxo
April

"Goodnight world. I love you. But how can I love who I know not?

And I smile. My mind may not know you, but my heart recognizes each and every one. Love knows no bounderies and limits are none. Love is the answer that loves everyone! Sweetest dreams beautiful people. Sweetest warmest dreams." -April

When Love Speaks

We have the power within us to break down the walls of confusion, hurt, longing and isolation. This power rests within the very being of who we are, our very existence and our reason for breathing. This power, this reason, is love.

Within each and all of us is the undeniable ability to love and to be loved. Not only do others rely on us to unleash this power within us but we rely on this ourselves.

Any true and unshakable foundation begins with love. Life was created because of love. The sun rises and sets because it is inspired by love. Our hearts continue to beat because our hearts resonate with the energy of love. Our hearts only know love. When we are out of love, we feel sadness. It is our true nature to beat as one... with love.

Love connects us. It lifts us. It loves us. It is time we reach out and touch love, even within ourselves. Love cannot be truly identified without being identified within us first. How can we notice something we do not understand? How can we recognize something that is unfamiliar to us? We can want it. We can taste it. But will we know it when it calls our name?

Many times we have experienced the "unlove." This is the "almost" love. However, it is not and never was love. But it is just as important. It created contrast. It showed us how much more we really want and deserve true love- even the love of ourselves. We are so quick to tell another, "I love you." But can we truly say it without hesitating to ourselves?  

When love speaks, it say, "Trust me. Listen. Feel me. Let go of your fears and touch me. Learn me. Be free. I am born because of you and I grow within you. I live. Allow me to blossom. Allow me to shine! And I... I will guide and bless you. Let go. Open your hands. Be empty and still so that you can receive me without fear. I do not live where fear resides."

When love speaks to you, what will you have to say?

-ac  

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‎"When you give up on your dreams, your dreams give up on you." ♥ -april claxton

"The call it love, not hate. If it is hateful or harmful, it is not love. It's trusting to let go to receive and having faith that you will receive so that you can let go." -april claxton

Ask Yourself. Answer Honestly.

Ask Yourself. Answer Honestly.

As the world winds down around me, I feel inspired to write. So many events, opinions, energies have been experienced today. From the discussions of the controversial proposed Islamic center and mosque being built near ground zero to the wavering faith in the US president. From the egg recalls due to salmonella poisoning to Chelsea Handler hosting the MTV Music Video Awards. From the case of little Haleigh Cummings hopefully coming to a close to many children within the world getting ready to return to school... It's apparent. Life continues to take place.

The world will not stop spinning around us. It will continue to turn and the seasons will change. Will we continue to watch it take place around us? Or will we jump in and experience our own flow within this space?

Life is to be questioned. But what is important is not to question for the sake of questioning but to ask yourself the right questions. Am I happy? What do I want? What will make me the happiest? Where did I let myself go? Where can I go to regain myself? What do I want for myself within this amazing and personal life?

The answers to these questions are just as important as the questions are. We are questioned by people and ourselves each day. But do we answer these questions honestly? Many of us answer questions only to find that there are more pressing answers, more honest answers that we choose to keep hidden within us.

If we are going to become an active participant within our own lives, we must question and answer ourselves openly and honestly, no matter what the results may be. All to often we cling to things that are unhealthy for us. Relationships, habits, thoughts... We seem to be afraid of change. Is it change we are afraid of or is it the idea that we might actually move on and find happiness by letting go? The fear of the unknown paralyzes us.

We cannot be controlled by this fear if happiness, freedom, love and life is what we seek. The world will continue to turn with our without us. What would like be like if we were to.... Exist? Completely.
Enjoy your evening everyone. Here's to another day within our own Movement Within. Here's to another day period.

Love, Light and always Life,

April    

Tuesday, August 17, 2010

Eat. Pray. Love: Elizabeth's Movement Within


Eat. Pray. Love.

"Every major spiritual epic journey in our lives begins with that series of self interviewing: What is it that I really want? Why am I so unhappy? Where am I going? What would change this? What do I want to do with my one wild and wonderful life?" -Elizabeth Gilbert

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bziv4sXXdOU

Welcome to the New Home of The Movement Within Blog!

Welcome!

We are connecting within the virtual world in hopes to ignite a connection within the real world. Within the real you. Hope. Empower. Validate. Believe. This is The Movement Within. 

The Movement Within is a concept that I created in order to reach out to the world around me from within me. It all began from my own struggles and lessons and now has turned from a concept into a growing necessity and reality. The Movement Within is lifting and helping humanity locally, nationally and internationally.

The Movement Within began when I was inspired to post messages of truth and light from my own struggles on to The Movement Within facebook page in August 2009. From there, it has grown into a glorious and inspirational world of its own! TMW includes a weekly radio show, classes, motivational speaking, private sessions and readings, meditations and so much more!

Most of what I do is free of cost. I want to offer as much as I can that is easily available at your fingertips. The only excuses in life are those we make. There are no excuses when the tools are readily made available to you. This will possibly be the most important Movement you will ever be a part of: The Movement Within yourself.

I encourage you to reach out to yourself. Listen to yourself. Discover yourself. Allow your Movement Within to begin! It is time my dear friend. It is time.

I wish all of you a life full of days brimming with love, light, blessings, hope, happiness, joy, growth and discovery! Become a part of The Movement Within today. This is where we lift humanity, one heart at a time.

Forever and always till death do us part and then some,

April Claxton
Founder and Creator
The Movement Within.com
http://www.themovementwithin.com